Animated push toy

ABSTRACT

An animated push toy, consisting of an elongated hollow member shaped to resemble a human body, and supported on a wheeled axle. Articulated leg members, pivotally attached to the elongated hollow member, are connected to the wheels by pintles disposed from each other by 180* so as to simulate a pedaling action as the wheels are turned by pushing the toy. Oppositely disposed arms are fixed on a driven shaft rotatably supported in the upper portion of the elongated hollow member. An endless belt in the elongated hollow member drivably connects the drive axle and the driven shaft so as to actuate the arm members as the toy is being pushed on a bearing surface by means of a rod attached to the elongated hollow member.

United States Patent 91 Welk [451 May 1, 1973 1 ANIMATED PUSH TOY Joseph E. Welk, 6085 Chopin, Detroit, Mich. 48210 [22] Filed: May 18, 1972 [2]] Appl. No.: 254,699

[76] Inventor:

Primary ExaminerLouis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Cutting Attorney-Adolph G. Martin [57] ABSTRACT An animated push toy, consisting of an elongated hollow member shaped to resemble ,a human body, and

supported on a wheeled axle. Articulated leg members, pivotally attached to the elongated hollow member, are connected to the wheels by pintles disposed from each other by 180 so as to simulate a pedaling action as the wheels are turned by pushing the toy. Oppositely disposed arms are fixed on a driven shaft rotatably supported in the upper portion of the elongated hollow member. An endless belt in the elongated hollow member drivably connects the drive axle and the driven shaft so as to actuate the arm members as the toy is being pushed on a bearing sur face by means of a rod attached to the elongated hollow member.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented May 1, 1973 ANIMATED PUSH TOY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to toys generally, and more particularly to a push type of animated toy. Most toys of this type are usually somewhat complex and fragile in construction, thus rendering them impractical for use by extremely young children. However, the applicants toy is simply and strongly constructed, thereby making it especially well adapted for use by young children.

SUMMARY OFTHE INVENTION This invention comprises an elongated hollow member supported on a transverse rotatable drive axle 20, having fixed thereon a pair of spaced wheels 22. A pintle 24 on each of the spaced wheels 22, disposed from each other by 180 degrees, is attached to an articulated leg member 32, which is pivotally connected at the upper end to the elongated hollow member 10. A transverse driven shaft 26, rotatably supported in the elongated hollow member 10, is operatively connected to the drive axle by an endless belt 28. Two oppositely disposed arms 30 are fixed on each end of the driven shaft 26, and a push rod 42 is attached to the elongated hollow member 10 for moving the toy on a bearing surface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the applicants invention showing the two articulated leg members 32, and the pair of oppositely disposed arms 30.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view, taken substantially on plane 2-2 in FIG. 1, showing structural details of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a section view, taken substantially on plane 3-3 in FIG. 2, showing the drive axle and driven shaft 26 connected by the endless belt 28.

FIG. 4 is a section view, taken substantially on plane 4--4 in FIG. 1, showing structural details of the elongated hollow member 10.

CONSTRUCTION For a more detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the drawing in which numeral 10 designates an elongated member, shaped to resemble a human body attired in a clowns costume, and having therein a longitudinally disposed cavity 12. The elongated member 10 comprises a pair of matching components 14 and 16 held together by screws 18 or other suitable fasteners.

A transverse drive axle 20, rotatably supported in the lower portion of the elongated member 10, has fixed on each end thereof a wheel 22. Two pintles 24, on the wheels 22, are disposed from each other by 180 degrees. A transverse driven shaft 26 is rotatably supported in the elongated member 10, and operatively connected to the drive axle 20 by an endless belt 28. A pair of oppositely disposed arms 30 are fixed on each end ofthe driven shaft 26.

Two articulated leg members 32, having upper and lower portions 34 and 36 respectively, are pivotally connected together by a screw 38. The upper portion 34 of each leg member 32 is attached to the elongated member 10 by a screw 40. The lower portion36 of the leg members 32 is connected to the pintles 24 on the wheels 22. A push rod 42 is fitted into a socket 44, provided in the elongated member 10, and secured therein by a screw 46, or other suitable means.

In practice it has proven effective to use an elastic or highly resilient material, such as a rubber band, for the endless belt 28, thereby providing for non-continuous rotation of the drive shaft 26. This imparts an intermitant movement to the arms 30,. which more nearly simulates the balancing gestures characteristic of a unicycle rider.

The preceding discussion completes a description of the structure characterizing the .applicants invention herein disclosed; however, to facilitate a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, a discussion of the manner in which the toy operates is immediately hereinafter set forth.

USE AND OPERATION In use, the toy is placed in an upright position on a bearing surface, as shown in FIG. 1, and moved forwardly by by means of the push rod 42. The wheels 22 are thus caused to rotate, thereby moving the drive axle 20 in a clockwise direction, indicated by the arrow 30 in FIG. 3. The front half of the resilient band 28 is thereby loaded or stretched until it develops a downwardly directed pull of sufficient magnitude to pivot the driven shaft 26 through an arc of indeterminate length. The attached arms .30 are thus caused to move in the manner indicated by the arrows 52 in FIG. 1.

When the resilient band 28 has unloaded sufficiently, the driven shaft 26 ceases to move until sufficient tension is again developed in the forward half of the resilient band 28 to pivot the driven shaft 26. If the endless belt 28 is constructed of non-elastic material, the driven shaft 26 rotates constantly, thereby provid ing for continuous rather than sporadic or intermitant movement of the arms 30.

Based upon the foregoing description and discussion of the subject matter herein presented, the applicant is of the opinion that his invention has fulfilled a need in the field of toys, and that he has accordingly made a valuable contribution to the related art. However, while the invention was described with reference to the structural details of only a single embodiment, it will be appreciated by those familiar with the art, that the prin ciples involved are susceptible of numerous other practical adaptations.

I therefore claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An animated push toy comprising an elongated hollow member, a transverse drive axle rotatably supported in the lower portion of the elongated hollow member, a pair of spaced wheels fixed on the transverse drive axle, a push rod connected at one end to the elongated hollow member, a transverse driven shaft rotatably supported in the upper portion of the elongated hollow member, two arms fixed on opposite ends of the driven shaft one arm being mounted on each end of said shaft, an endless belt operatively connecting the drive axle and the driven shaft, a pintle on'each of the wheels disposed from each other by a pair of articulated leg members pivotally connected at one end to the elongated hollow member, and at the other end endless belt consists of a resilient band the forward half 5 of which stretches as the drive axle rotates until a pull of sufficient magnitude is developed in such forward half of the resilient band to pivot the driven shaft through an indeterminate are thereby imparting an intermittant movement to the arms. 

1. An animated push toy comprising an elongated hollow member, a transverse drive axle rotatably supported in the lower portion of the elongated hollow member, a pair of spaced wheels fixed on the transverse drive axle, a push rod connected at one end to the elongated hollow member, a transverse driven shaft rotatably supported in the upper portion of the elongated hollow member, two arms fixed on opposite ends of the driven shaft one arm being mounted on each end of said shaft, an endless belt operatively connecting the drive axle and the driven shaft, a pintle on each of the wheels disposed from each other by 180*, a pair of articulated leg members pivotally connected at one end to the elongated hollow member, and at the other end to the pintles on the wheels so as to simulate a pedaling action as the wheels are rotated by pushing the toy on a bearing surface.
 2. The animated push toy of claim 1 in which the endless belt consists of a resilient band the forward half of which stretches as the drive axle rotates until a pull of sufficient magnitude is developed in such forward half of the resilient band to pivot the driven shaft through an indeterminate arc thereby imparting an intermittant movement to the arms. 